Replacing scatty landing switches

[Iggifer]

It's worth noting it appears your new switches are plastic with a clip on metal cover. Though it could be argued the plastic surround of the new switch does double insulate it, the very presence of that earth terminal tells us it MUST be earthed

Yea they must. That plastic is just glued to the back of the metal plate. It doesn't cover all of the metal, and from reading the BG literature, it is just there to stop the plate absorbing any moisture from the plaster

 

[rekrabwuh]

Thanks guys. I will take the switches off and put the old ones back on (or buy some new plastic ones). So effectively the old metal switches that were put on by the previous owner were also a hazard?

I'd love to get it all earthed, but I can't afford all that at the moment.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I will take the switches off and put the old ones back on (or buy some new plastic ones).

The latter - the old ones were metal, you mustn't put them back

So effectively the old metal switches that were put on by the previous owner were also a hazard?

Of the lethal kind.

 

[rekrabwuh]

OK so the plot thickens. Kitchen and two bedrooms all have earths. Lounge, hall, landing and one bedroom don't - 2 of which were metal.

I will pop up to b&q this afternoon and get some new plastic switches for those that don't have earths.

Note to self...don't buy a 200 year old house.

In any case..as per original question - any idea how to wire the landing lights. yes, with plastic switches

 

[ban-all-sheds]

OK so the plot thickens. Kitchen and two bedrooms all have earths.

I suspect you mean you can see earth wires connected to the boxes/switches. Given what you have found, I would advise not trusting your life to them being functional.

Note to self...don't buy a 200 year old house.

You could have a house which was built this year and already had some bodger mess with the electrics.

In any case..as per original question - any idea how to wire the landing lights. yes, with plastic switches

[wiki]Electrics%3ATwo-way-lighting[/wiki]

Please do not start down the route of trying to do this just by blindly following instructions to put-this-wire-in-that-hole without actually understanding why.

 

[bernardgreen]

Note to self...don't buy a 200 year old house

Mine is 500 years old. Not sure that the electrics were quite that old when I bought it. They are only 4 years old now....

 

[rekrabwuh]

Ta. Kitchen makes sense as it is a relatively recent extension (c.10 years). Both bedrooms also make sense as they had newish lights in them.

Eurgh, it's like Pandora's box.

 

[securespark]

I have seen many a house (re)wired before 1966 that has subsequently had twin and earth added to the lighting, but the earth is floating.

 

[rekrabwuh]

Update: I took off a couple of the ceiling roses that haven't been replaced since I moved in and there is all manner of weird stuff going on that I don't understand. Decided to call in a professional to take a look as it's getting well above my pay grade.

Here's hoping it's not a £2k re-wire :O

Thanks for all your help!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I took off a couple of the ceiling roses that haven't been replaced since I moved in and there is all manner of weird stuff going on that I don't understand.

[WIKI]Electrics:Lighting-Circuit-layouts[/WIKI]

[WIKI]Electrics:Single-way-lighting[/WIKI]